Lifting and timing wheel and a varied pitch auger for a roller gauge sorting machine



Nov. 15, 1955 c. PEABODY 2,

LIFTING AND TIMING WHEEL AND A VARIED PITCH AUGER FOR A ROLLER GAUGE SORTING MACHINE Filed May 25. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./ 42

20' l6- FQ H Hi 24 50 3 3 52 ll HI y 22 U H g 48 70 I0 25 Louis C. Peabody 72 I I 2 INVENTOR.

Nov. 15. 1955 L. c. PEABODY LIFTING AND TIMING WHEEL AND A VARIED PITCH AUGER FOR A ROLLER GAUGE SORTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m d m 0N t A .DE, aw w v c m w U a .L 9% V! B Nov. 15. 1955 L. c. PEABODY 2,723,749

LIFTING AND TIMING WHEEL AND A VARIED PITCH Fil ed May 25, 1954 AUGER FOR A ROLLER GAUGE SORTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Louis C. Peabody INVENTOR.

United States Patent LIFIING AND TllVIlNG WHEEL AND A VAR IED PITCH AUGER FOR A ROLLER GAUGE SORT- lNG MACHINE Louis C. Peabody, East Grand Forks, Minn, assignor of one-third to I. A. Osmundson and one-third to Rupert Green, East Grand Forks, Minn.

Application May 25, 1954, Serial No. 432,088

8 Claims. (Cl. 209-106) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for sizing of fruits and vegetables and in particular is related to improvements over the sorting machine disclosed in Patent 2,582,545 to Louis Kerian, patented January 15, 1952.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a lifting and timing wheel adapted to be used in conjunction with a sizing apparatus, which timing wheel is adapted to raise the plurality of rollers successively into engagement with the spaced guides of a pair of spaced angers.

A further object resides in the provision of means for positioning the plurality of transverse horizontal rollers into engagement with the angers in a manner so that the length of the machine can be shortened to approximately one-half the length of the machine disclosed in the Kerian patent, 2,582,545; which will eliminate the slack which existed in the roller conveying chain While also assuring that the rollers will be correctly spaced.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a novel auger for use in conjunction with the lifting and carrying wheel so that the ends of the shaft may be readily engaged between the varied pitch helical guides.

The construction of the auger features utilization of a hollow tubular central element having plates extending outwardly from and normal to the central tubular element having dove-tailed recesses therein. The spaced helical guide rods of progressively varied pitch are welded to the plates in alignment with the dove-tailed recesses to ensure a clear path of travel for the ends of the transverse horizontal rollers.

The lifting and timing wheel is adapted to utilize the rotary action of the driving structure of the invention to engage and carry the transverse rollers into engagement with the helical guide rods utilizing cam actuated lifting dogs.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of improvements for a vegetable and fruit sizing machine which are simple to install, inexpensive to construct, yet which are simple in operation and very durable.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this lifting and carrying wheel and by the novel angers, a preferred embodiment of each thereof being shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the complete sorting machine;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the sorting machine;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the lifting dogs;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the sorting machine; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the angers.

2,723,749 Patented Nov. 15, 1955 With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the sorting machine comprising the present invention which includes an angle iron frame 12 on which a drive motor 14 is installed. Mounted on bearings carried by the frame 12 are shafts 16 and 18 to which the hollow tubular central elements 20 and 22 of angers 24 and 26 are attached. The angers 24 and 26 are each of similar construction, which can be best seen in Figure 6. Here, it will be seen that the auger 24 includes plates 28, 30, 32 and 34 which are welded to and extend normal from the central portion of each of the sides of the tubular central element 20. Each of the plates has a plurality of dove-tail slots, such as is indicated by reference numeral 36, therein, it being noted that the slots 36 in each of the varying plates 28, 30, 32 and 34 are not in the same position with respect to the various plates, but are adjusted for a varying helical pitch advance. Each of the recesses 36 opens into a cutout portion, as at 36, within which a pair of helical guide rods 40 and 42 of circular cross-section are seated and welded. The angers 24 and 26 are driven by the motor 14 interconnected through suitable gearing arrangements, as at 44, and by endless chains 46 and 48.

Positioned on the frame 12 and in alignment with the angers 24 and 26 are guide rails, as indicated at 50, within which a plurality of transverse rollers 52 are engaged, the rollers being interconnected by links 54. As can be readily understood, fruits and vegetables are positioned over the moving rollers 52 and when the rollers are far enough spaced apart so as to permit the fruits or vegetables to fall therebetween, the fruits and vegetables will be collected in the various containers 56, 58, 60 and 62 positioned beneath the rollers and in alignment with the angers. The rollers thus form an endless conveyor-and the spacing between the rollers is adjusted by the angers 24 and 26. In order to lift the respective rollers 52 into engagement with the augers 24 and 26, there is provided a pair of lifting and timing wheels 64 and 66 mounted on shafts 68 driven by means of an endless chain 70 which engages a sprocket 72 mounted on the shafts 68, the endless chain being connected by the gear box 44 to the motor 14.

Each of the lifting and timing wheels 64 and 66 are of generally the same construction, and the lifting and timing wheel 64 comprises a disk 74 having a plurality of arcuate slots 76 therein within which lifting dogs 78 are positioned. The lifting dogs 78 have arcuate end portions 80 for engaging the rollers 52 and carrying the rollers 52. The dogs 78 further include pivot links 82 pivotally mounted on pins 84 secured in the disk 74. Cam engaging legs 86 are appended to the pivot links 82 and engage a rigidly mounted cam 90 mounted about the shaft 68 and held against rotation. Hence, as the disk 74 is rotated, each of the lifting dogs 78 will successively engage the rollers 52 and lift the rollers into engagement with the auger 24. It is to be recognized that the gearing ratio for the shaft 68 is less than that of the angers 24 and 26 since each rotation of the shaft 68 will lift four rollers into the angers.

Since from the foregoing the construction and advantages of these improvements to sorting machines are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to which fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A varied pitch auger comprising a tubular central element, a pluralityof plates secured to-said-central element and extending outwardly therefrom, a plurality of unequally spaced recesses in said plates, and helical guide rods of progressively varied pitch secured to said plates in alignment with said recesses.

2.A"varied pitch auger comprising a tubular central element, a plurality of plates secured to said central'element and extending outwardly therefrom, a plurality'of unequally spaced recesses in said plates,-and helical guide rods of progressively varied pitch secured to said plates in alignment with said recesses, said recesses being dovetail in shape.

3. A'varied pitch auger comprising a tubular-central element, a plurality of plates secured to said central ele'-- ment and extending outwardly therefrom, a plurality of unequally spaced recesses in said plates, and helical guide rods of progressively varied pitch secured to said plates in alignment with said recesses, said central element being square in cross-section, said plates extending normal to said central element.

4. A varied'pitch auger comprising a tubular central element, a plurality of plates secured to said central-element and extending outwardly therefrom, a plurality of unequally spaced recesses in said plates,-and helical guide rods of progressively varied pitch secured to said plates in alignment with said recesses, said central element being square in cross-section, said plates extending normal to said central element, said recesses being dove-tail .in shape;-

5. A liftingand timing wheel for use in conjunction with a varied pitch auger comprising a disk adapted to be positioned on a shaft, a cam, a plurality of slots insaid disk, a :plurality of lifting dogs slidably mounted in said slots and pivotally attached to said disk, and legs on said lifting dogs adapted to engage said cam.

6. :A lifting and timing wheel used in combination with a plurality of transverse horizontal rollers to lift said rollers into engagement with a progressively varied pitch auger comprising a disk adapted to be positioned on a shaft, a cam, a plurality of slots in said disk, a plurality of lifting dogs slidably mounted in said slots and pivotally attached to said disk, and legs on said lifting dogs adapted to'engagesaid cam, said lifting dogs engaging said rollers to lift said rollers into engagement with said auger.

7. A 'lifting and timing wheel used in combination with a plurality of transverse horizontal rollers to lift said rollers into engagement with a progressively varied pitch auger comprising a disk adapted to be positioned on a shaft, a cam, a plurality of slots in said disk, a plurality of lifting dogs slidably mounted in said slots and pivotally attached to said disk and legs on said lifting dogs adapted to engage said cam, said lifting dogs engaging said rollers to lift said rollers into engagement with said auger, said auger comprising a tubular central element, a plurality of plates secured to said central element and extending outwardly therefrom, a plurality of unequally spaced recesses in said plates, and helical guide rods of progressively varied pitch secured to said plates in alignment with said recesses, the ends of said'rollers seating between said guide rods.

8. A lifting and timing wheel used in combination with a plurality of transverse horizontal rollers to-lift said rollers into engagementwith a progressively varied pitchauger-comprising a disk adapted to be positioned on a shaft, a cam, a plurality of slots in'said disk, a plurality of lifting dogs slidably mounted in said slots and pivotally attached to said disk, and legs on said lifting dogs adapted to engage said cam, said lifting dogs engaging said-rollers to lift said rollers into engagement with said auger, said auger comprising .atubular central element, a plurality of plates'secured to said central element and'extending out- ,wardly therefrom, a plurality of unequally'spaced re- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kerian May 11, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct; 27, 1952 W -a-v 

